Dr. Nancy Stoehr, assistant professor of pharmacy, works with high school youth during a health professions visit day. With an eye towards providing more opportunities for students, Concordia University Wisconsin is now offering a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, university leaders recently announced.
The new bachelor’s degree in combination with the Doctor of Pharmacy degree is designed as a three plus four program, where the typical student would complete three years of their undergraduate coursework, core requirements and general elective requirements, followed by four years of Doctor of Pharmacy coursework. The BS-Pharmaceutical Sciences degree would be awarded after the first year of the Doctor of Pharmacy coursework, with the Doctor of Pharmacy degree awarded three years later.
In short, the program allows students to earn both a bachelor’s and Pharm.D. degree in a condensed timeframe.
“We find that students really value having a bachelor’s degree for various reasons,” says Dr. Steven Montreal, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, where the new bachelor’s program is housed. “This new path recognizes the work that students put into completing core requirements in addition to their pre-pharmacy work by giving them a degree.”
Students will still have the option to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in the same manner as it’s been offered prior—by completing a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy coursework followed by four years of doctorate coursework.
“Some students find the additional third year of coursework to be beneficial in their preparations and this new program serves those students,” says Dr. Dean Arneson, Dean of the School of Pharmacy. “By adding the equivalent of an additional year’s worth of credits, we’re giving students options so they can select a path that is the best choice for their needs.”
To learn more about Concordia Pharmacy programs, visit www.cuw.edu/pharmacy.
— This story is written by Kali Thiel, director of university communications for Concordia University Wisconsin and Ann Arbor. She may be reached at kali.thiel@cuw.edu or 262-243-2149.
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